Missile launcher



y 1957 R. E. 'CARLBERG EI'AL 2,782,757

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 v 18 sheets -sheet 1INVENTOR ROBERT E. GARLBERG FRANK W S/EVE R0600 DEMAS/ jaw/WW y 1 1957R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,792,757

' MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Fi led Sept. 1. 1950 18 Sheets-Sheet 3 I] IFIF II II II ll INVENTORS ROBERT E. mm 95% FRANK w. SIEVE Roam DEMAS/ATTORNE YS 21, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG- ETAL [22395757 MISSILE LAUNCHER IOriginal Filed Sept. 1. 1950 q 18 Sheets-Sheet 4 I02 NV EN'IORS ROBERTE. amwma FRANK w $IEVE ROOGA 05mm ATTORNEYS 21-, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG TMISSILE LAUNCHER 18 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Sept. 1. 1950INVENTORS ay 21, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ETA!- 2,792,757

MISSILE LAUNCHER Ori ginal Filed Sept; 1. 1950 18 Sheets-Sheet e FIG. I!

INVENTORS ROBERT E. GARLBE'RG FRANK W. S/EVE R0000 DEAS/ ATTORNEYS y 7R. E. CARLBERG ET AL 2,792,757

MISSILE LAUNCHER 1 Original Filed Sept. 1. use 18 shets -shjew 7lNVENTORS ROBERT E. OARLBERG FRANK w. 315 v5 R0600 DEMASI ATTORNEYS y 7R. E. CARLBERG ETAL MISSILE LAUNCHER 18 Sheets-Sheet 8 .INVENTORS HUBER?E. OARLBERG FRANK W 5751/5 R0000 @EMAS/ Original Filed Sept. l. 1950 Ia? a ATTORNEYS y 1, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,792,77

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1. 1950 1s Sheets-Sheet 9 ROBERTE. aARl. BERG FRANK R. S/EVE R0600 omwsl ATTORNEYS May 21, 1957 R. E.CARLBERG ET AL MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 18Sheets-Sheet l0 FIG. 75

SAF mo INVENTORS ROBERT E. OARLBERG FRANK W S/EVE R0060 DEM/15! BY W/ZWW ATTORNEYS 21,v 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ET L 2,792,757

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 18 Sheets-Sheet ll Fm. W

INVENTORS ROBERT E. OAHLBERE FRANK W. S/EVE R0000 DEMAS/ KMQWZR BY /3- WATTORNEYS R. E. CARLBERG. ETAL MISSILE LAUNCHER m m m m t -E 2 w m 9 n 0E! 0 m m M n 2 w w 0E A w m m/m h F. .D w WW0 1 EN 4 W RFR Y B OriginalFiled Sept. 1, 1950 FIG. l9

May 21, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,7 2,

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 v l8 Sheets-Sheet 13 FIG.22

' INVENTORS ROBERT E. GARLBERG FRANK W S/El/E R0000 DEMA SI FIG. 2/

y 1, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ET AL.

MISSILE LAUNCHER 18 Sheets-Sheet 14 Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950INVENTOR ROBERT E GARLBERG FRANK W. S/EVE R0660 DEMAS/ X14. 0&7; BY Q/ZW ATTORNEYS May 21, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG E 2,792,757

' MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1. 1.950 v 18 Sheets-Sheet 15iNVENTORS ROBERT E. OARLBERG FRANK W. S/EVE R0600 DEMAS/ QB W ATTORNEYSMay 21, 1957 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL. 2,7

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 18 Sheets-Sheet 16INVENTORS ROBERT E. OARLBERG FRANK. w, S/EVE Rocco ommsl 1Q Q/ZA AT;ORNEYS y 7 R. E. CARLBERG ETAL 2,792,757

MISSILE LAUNCHER Original Filed Sept. 1, 1950 I 18 Sheets-Sheet 17 RAISEHOIST DEPRESS GUIDE FIR-E ELEVATE GUIDE LOWER HOIST INDEX R.S DRUM TIMECYCLE OF OPERATIONS INVENTORS ROBERT E. CAR/.5596 FRANK w. S/EVE FIG. 29R0600 DEMAS/ ATTORNEYS NHSSILE LAUNCHER Robert E. Carlberg and Frank W.Sieve, Falls Church, and Rocco De Masi, Arlington, Va.

(Priginal application September 1, 1959, Serial No. 132,696, new PatentNo. 2,745,317, dated May 15, 1956. Divided and this application February16, 1954, Serial No. 410,470

11 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

(Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The inventiondescribed herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Governmentof the United States of America for governmental purposes without thepayment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 182,696, filedSeptember 1, 1950, now U. S. Patent No. 2,745,317, for Missile Launcher,which is directed to a combination of several inventions by jointinventors Arthur I. Stanton, Robert 'E. Carlberg, Robert K. Bole, FrankW. Sieve, William Danziger, and Rocco De Masi.

This invention relates to missile launchers and more particularly tomissile launchers which are automatic in operation and may be controlledfrom a remote firing station.

In the art of modern warfare the use of self-powered missiles such asrockets has been receiving increasing attention, however, difiicultieshave been encountered in the handling and launching of such missilesparticularly when it is desired to launch a number of them in rapidsuccession.

Heretofore, devices for launching a multiplicity of rockets have beeenin the form of relatively simple construction comprising a rack or framefor supporting a number of rockets side by side and means for firing allof the rockets substantially simultaneously whereupon they are broadcastin the general direction of the target. When adapted for shipboard usesuch devices ordinarily could not independently be moved in train orelevation and their firing accuracy depended upon directing the shiptoward the target and arriving at a prescribed range before the missileswere released. that to obtain repeated firing with such an arrangementit was necessary for the launcher to be loaded by hand from above-deckwith exposed personnel and this loading step had to be repeated beforethe launcher could again be fired.

The risks attendant to the exposure of large numbers of rockets andpersonnel above-decks is readily apparent.

In order to avoid hazard to shipboard personnel loading rockets in anexposed position, there have been developed gravity fed or mechanicallyfed rocket launchers which fire rockets one by one through a firingtrough. However, in such arrangements ordinarily the supply of rocketsstill must occupy an exposed position and hence is vulnerable to a hitby the enemy.

A further problem, particularly with large rockets, arises out of thetremendous heat generated by the rocket blast as it is fired. Because ofthe tremendous heat and' blast effects of the rocket as it is launched,it is important that the launcher be automatically loaded and capable ofbeing operated in train and in elevation by remote control means such asthe conventional gun director employed aboard ship.

The missile launcher of the present invention overcomes the above andother limitations of prior art devices and is particularly adapted foruse on naval'vessels where space limitations are important, however,'itwill;

It will be apparent;

2,792,757 I Patented May 21, 1957 2 be understood that it is not limitedto such use but may be used in other installations where a launcher ofthis character is desired.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide animproved missile launcher design which provides optimum control of themissile during launching, is rapid in action and avoids the hazardsincident to the use of conventional missile launchers.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a missilelauncher that may be completely automatic in operation and may becontrolled from a remote station by suitable control equipment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a launchingguide tube having a loading position and a launching position and meansfor moving the guide tube between the loading and the launchingposition.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of improvedloading means whereby missiles may be supported in a magazine disposedbeneath the launcher mount and under the deck structure and carrying asupply of missiles such as rockets which are individually positionedadjacent a vertical hoist for movement into the missile launcher guide.

A further object is the provision of an improved missile launcherinstallation wherein the structural relationship between the above-deckmount and below-deck magazine and hoist may be varied to conform withstructural and space limitations of various naval vessels upon which itmay be installed.

Another object is the provision of means for safely conveying an unfiredmissile from the launcher guide back to the missile magazine.

A-further object is to provide apparatus to facilitate the lowering ofmissiles from above-deck into a ships stowage magazine.

A still further object is to provide means for loading missiles from theships stowage magazine into a launcher ready service magazine.-

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical side elevation with portions removed. showing oneembodiment of the present invention in stowed condition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view from the opposite side but with the partsarranged in loading position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the launching tube disposed in firingposition;

Figs. 4 to 9, inclusive, are schematic views illustrating the positionsof the launching tube, launcher hoist,

and ready service magazine. during loading and firing operations;

Fig. 10 is a top plan view with the launching tube in load position andthe deck surface removed to show the ready service magazine located inone position relative to the launcher mount;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged front elevation view of a por-- tion of thelauncher mount of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged rear elevation view of a porit appears fromabove;

Fig. is an enlarged detailed sectional view of the upper portion of therear missile end of the guide tube and illustrating the forward and rearrestraining latches;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view partly broken away of the operatingmechanism located in the upper portion of a suitable blast shield andshowing the linkage employed to manually withdraw the forwardrestraining latch; v

' Fig. 17 is a detailed view showing the bearing means whereby thelauncher mount is supported for movement in train;

Fig. 18 is 'a schematic perspective view of the launcher hoist operatingmeans employed to raise missiles from the ready service magazine intothe guide tube;

Fig. 19 is a detailed vertical section through a portion of the readyservice magazine bearing means showing the drive pinion and ring geararrangement;

Fig. 20 is a top view of the ready service latch showing latch receivingnotches therefor in the inner periphery of the ring gear; V I

Fig. 21 is an enlarged detailed vertical section through the lowerportion of a magazine stall showing details of the ready servicemagazine missile support latch and stall loaded indicator mechanism;

Fig. 22 is a perspective view as it appears looking from within a stalland showing the latch and indicator mechanism of Fig. 20;

Fig. 23 is a perspective view partially broken away of the stowage hoistand tray used to load missiles from below into the ready servicemagazine;

Fig. 24 isan enlarged detailed perspective view of the missile holdingclamp employed to clasp the missile and hold it on the tray during traymovement;

Fig. 25 is an enlarged detailed view of a stowage hoist upper limitinterlock cam and switch;

Fig. 26 is an enlarged detailed view of a stowage hoist lower limitinterlock cam and switch;

Fig. 27 is an enlarged perspective view of the stowage hoist tray latchmechanism together with tray closed indicator and interlock switches;

Fig. 28 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of the stowage hoisttray pivot bearings together with a tray loaded interlock and trayposition indicators;

Fig. 29 is a time chart showing the relative movement of the launcherhoist, the launcher guide and readyser'vice magazine during one completecycle of automatic operation; and V Fig. is a schematic view showing themethod of lowering missiles from above-deck to the ready servicemagazine and thence by the stowage hoist to the missile stowage magazineor locker.

The present invention is shown as a shipboard type of missile launcherinstallation wherein all components except the launcher guide tube areprotected by enclosure within a shield or by location below-deck. Thelauncher may be remotely controlled and automatically operated byconnection to a suitable control system forming no part of the presentinvention.

In the embodiment illustrated, a single launcher guide tube is supportedby trunnions for pivotal movement from an upright loading position to aninclined firing position at which time it is lowered to some anglebetween 0 and Y60" of elevation as determined by a signal received fromthe ships gun director. This guide tube and its trunnions are mountedupon a carriage supported upon a mount which is similar to theconventional 40 mm. gun mount and includes the necessary apparatus formoving the guide tube both in train and elevation in response todirector signals received from conventional fire control equipment. Bythis means the mount may be moved in train and in elevation so that itmay bear upon the target up to the very instant of firing.

A second component of this launcher is a hoist mech anism which operatesto deliver rockets o'r'otherl missiles from a below-deck ready servicemagazine into the launcher guide tube when it is at its 90 elevated orload ing position. i

A third component is a below-deck ready service magazine in the form ofa large upright drum having a plurality of missile receiving stallsspaced about its periphery. By suitable means the drum may be rotated tosuccessively present missiles to the launcher hoist for loading into theguide tube.

A fourth component of the present invention is the provision of astowage hoist whereby missiles may be supplied to the stalls of theready service magazine from a remote missile stowage compartment so asto replenish the supply of missiles in said ready service magazineduring a period when the launcher is not in automatic operation. Thisstowage hoist 'embodies'transfer means including a tray upon which themissiles may be loaded and which tray then tilts to transfer themissiles from a horizontal stowed position to an upright position inalignment with the stowage hoist whereupon they may be moved into emptystalls of the ready service magazine.

The first three components above set forth work together duringautomatic firing operation to automatically and continually load andfire missiles until the supply in the ready service magazine has beenexhausted or until a cease the order is given. Thereafter the lastcomponent works to reload the ready service magazine so that it Will beready for another burst of automatic fire. These operations may becarried on in timed relationship underthe control of suitable electricaland hydraulic interlocks, the details of which form no part of thisinvention but which may be employed, if so desired, to assure thecompletion of each step before the start of the next.

In normal service, operation of the missile launcher may be remotelycontrolled by a director fire control system. When the launcher is inoperating condition, and is following the director, the entire magazinesupply of 22 missiles may be loaded and launched in succession simply byclosing the firing circuit and holding it closed. During this automaticloading and launching operation, no action isrequired of launcherpersonnel. The firing of the launcher may be controlled remotely, asaforementioned, and successive loading of missiles from the readyservice magazine may be performed automatically by the missile hoist.Hence, under these conditions personnel are not stationed in or aboutthe mount abovedeck during firing operation.

Local control features of train and elevation are not incorporated inthe launcher, however, handwheels are provided to move the mountmanually in train and elevation for the performance of stowing andcasualty operations and to facilitate service or maintenance work. Localcontrol of the firing circuit may be provided at a below-deck controlstation as an alternative to director firing.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, and referringparticularly to Figs. 1 to 12, inclusive, the present missile launcheris shown as it may be installed on a naval vessel with an above-deckmount generally designated 100, a below-deck ready service magazine 101and a missile hoisting mechanism 102 adapted to convey missiles from themagazine directly into a missile guide tube 103 carried by the mount.

The above-deck mount is provided with a suitable protective shield 104resting upon a shield base 1 15. Within the shield is mounted a carriage166' having spaced cheeks 107 and 108 mounting trunnion bearings 109.The guide tube 103 has trunnions 110 supported in the bearings 109 aboutwhich the tube may pivot from an upright loading position to an inclinedfiring position, the tube103 being provided with a gear sector 111 whichmay beengaged by: the usual drive pinion to move the tube in elevation.

'In the embodiment illustrated the device is shown supported upon deck114' by' means of a flanged roller bear-

